


Two Lessons

by Lavanya_Six



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-11
Updated: 2013-04-11
Packaged: 2017-12-08 03:19:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/756415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavanya_Six/pseuds/Lavanya_Six
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A character swap wherein the role of Katara's older, non-bender sibling is played by Toph.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two Lessons

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Stop.

Toph of the Water Tribe paused in the doorway, one hand holding the frame and the other gripping her long whalebone walking cane. "Sorry, ladies. Didn't mean to interrupt your little dance lesson." Slowly, she walked inside the dojo. "I was looking for somewhere to get a little workout."

Suki ignored her teammates' raised eyebrows. "Well, you're in the right place."

The Southerner's icy blue eyes made for a sharp contrast against her dusky complextion. They also failed to focus on Suki when she spoke. Instead Toph just stared off at a blank section of wall.

"Sorry about yesterday," the Kyoshi Warrior continued. "I didn't know you were friends with the Avatar."

"So if I hadn't been Aang's friend, you wouldn't be sorry about beating up a blind girl?"

Suki's face burned beneath its war paint. "W-what? No! Of course not!"

"I'm not sure I can believe someone who threatened to feed a helpless blind girl to a sea monster."

"Well, I- I've ALREADY apologized! You can't hold that over me!" Suki crossed her arms. "I didn't know you were blind then. If I had, I would've gone easy on you!"

"Oh?"

The other Kyoshi Warriors nodded along. "That's right. Our order is dedicated to upholding justice and defending the weak."

"So now I'm weak."

Suki felt the wind in her sails now. "Not weak, exactly, but even you admit you're blind!"

"Wow." Toph slung her walking stick across her shoulders. She still wasn't bothering to face Suki when she spoke. "All this girl talk has been fun, but I was hoping to work up a little sweat. Mind showing me some of your moves?"

"I don't think that's really-"

"Please? Just one quick lesson."

"...All right. You stand over there." Suki took Toph by the shoulders and repositioned her, so she would fall on the mat and not the hard floor. "This may be a little tough, but try to block me."

While she had no intention of seriously hurting the girl, Suki didn't slow her punch. Much. To do otherwise would have been an insult to the Art.

In a single fluid motion, Toph stepped aside from the punch's path and smashed that solid bone cane down on her extended arm. Suki fell to one knee with an agonized cry.

"Lesson one," Toph quipped sweetly. "Blind don't mean helpless."

Suki swept out a leg, knocking the other girl down, and then jumped her. She used Toph's own cane to pin her by the neck. "Lesson two, don't start fights you can't win!"

Reddening from suffocation, Toph hissed out, "Teach me how."

"Don't say ridiculous things!"

Toph spat in her face.

Suki eased off and took a measured breath. Because otherwise she'd eagerly crush the foreigner's windpipe.

"I need to protect my sister," Toph rasped, rubbing her throat. "Teach me how."

"...I can respect that," Suki finally said. "Don't spit on me again."

"Yeah, well, same here."

They both stood up on their own.


End file.
